There are many examples of fabrics incorporating stretched elastic strands to achieve elasticity in the fabric. These fabrics suffer from a number of disadvantages, including the cost of the elastic strands and the limitations in terms of heat and chemical processing to which the final fabric with the elastic strands may be subjected. Some newer fabrics incorporate heat shrunk thermoplastic yarns which exhibit elasticity. These yarns are less expensive then elastic strands; and fabrics formed therefrom are less expensive to produce than fabrics incorporating stretched elastic strands, and are applicable to more end uses.
Many commercial elastic wrap type bandages use heat shrunk, highly stretchable thermoplastic yarns. These yarns are incorporated only in the machine direction of the fabric. In particular, the Revco elastic bandage comprises a woven fabric of heat shrunk highly stretchable nylon warp yarns and cotton weft yarns. The McMurry fabric is a knitted fabric utilizing heat shrunk highly elastic nylon warp yarns and cotton weft yarns. The Curity or Conform bandage manufactured by Kendall and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,131 comprises heat shrunk texturized warp yarns in a chain loop knitted pattern of double yarns, with a complex pattern of weft yarns inlaid into the chain loops of the warp yarns. The fabric of the present invention utilizes heat shrunk, stretchable yarns in both the warp and weft direction, yielding a bandage that resists "necking down" when stretched, and which exhibits better conformability due to the elasticity of the high shrink warp and weft yarns. In one embodiment of the present invention the heat shrunk yarns are disposed in a leno weave. A leno weave has been used for example, in drapery fabrics to create an open area in the fabric. The yarns of such drapery fabrics typically are not heat shrunk or elastic. Other open weave fabrics such as screening for a tent are formed using leno weave to stabilize the open weave pattern.